In House Lawyer, Virgin Media Television

(Senior Legal Counsel, 12 Month Fixed Term Contract)

About Virgin Media:

Virgin Media is the leading connected entertainment cable and broadcast business in Ireland. Every day we deliver connections that really matter for thousands of people, with multi award-winning services including superfast broadband, TV, mobile and home phone. Our Virgin Media Business division provides the fastest broadband speeds and connectivity solutions for entrepreneurs, businesses and the public sector.

Virgin Media Television, our broadcast division, is Ireland’s number one commercial public service broadcaster offering three free-to-air channels: Virgin Media One, Virgin Media Two, Virgin Media Three and Virgin Media Four as well as the Virgin Media Play App. We are a significant investor in home produced content, including news, current affairs and drama, as well as offering the best in international programming. Virgin Media More, a platform exclusive channel for Virgin TV customers, offers the very best of first look premium content, including ground-breaking Irish and International drama, documentaries & sport. Our advertising sales agency, Virgin Media Solutions, creates unique, innovative campaigns for our business and for third party clients across the UK and Ireland.

For further information please visit: www.virginmedia.ie

About the Role:

This is an exciting opportunity for  a 5+ years PQE solicitor to join the legal team at Virgin Media.

We’re looking for someone who is a self-starter with a willingness to learn and develop and who has a strong sense of commercial awareness. The successful candidate will have excellent interpersonal skills and a creative approach to problem solving.

Reporting to the Legal Director, primary responsibilities will include legal support to Virgin Media on all commercial agreements with particular focus on content and intellectual property law matters.

The successful candidate would preferably have a background in media law, gained while working in private practice or in house for a broadcaster, rightsholder or platform.

Specific Duties & Tasks:

• Support Virgin Media Television on the drafting and negotiation of programming commissions and acquisitions across a wide genre of programming;

• Negotiate carriage licence agreements, video on demand and app agreements with third party content providers on the Virgin Media platform;

• Maintain up to date platform agreements for the Virgin Media Television channels and/or the VMTV Play App wherever they are made available to third party platforms.

• Provide legal advice on marketing, advertising, customer communications, consumer protection and commercial sponsorship arrangements across the business;

• Provide legal advice to the business on any new content related projects, including where required carrying out rights audits.

• Provide regular training and support to the business on best practice in the areas of defamation, broadcasting and intellectual property law management and all relevant laws, rules, regulations and guidance.

Skills & Expertise:

• 5+ years Post Qualified Experience

• Strong background and demonstrable experience in commercial contracts with a particular focus on intellectual property licence agreements

• A good understanding of defamation law, copyright law, and privacy laws

• Strong commercial acumen and a strong interest in working across all areas in the business

• Excellent negotiation, technical and drafting skills, with an exceptional ability to attend to detail

• Experience working in a fast-paced organisation, managing multiple priorities and ensuring deadlines are consistently met

• An ability to balance the need to use initiative while working collaboratively as part of a team

The Person:

• First class problem solving skills who gets to the heart of the matter

• The ability to communicate effectively and efficiently with the business while ascertaining the key impact/detail behind the issue/request

• A ‘team player’ who can lead by example and inspire others on a daily basis

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and embrace change

• High attention to detail, someone who cares about quality in everything they do

• A methodical approach to both daily tasks and project work

• Explores opportunities by being resourceful and self-motivating

Virgin Media is an equal opportunities employer. Having a diverse workforce is critical to the success of our business.